When Ireland joined the European Union in 1973, its status in the European community had yet to be established. Nowadays, Ireland’s influence within the EU has risen, as the power dynamic between it and the United Kingdom continues to shift. Recently, Ireland threatened to veto any Brexit deal that would alter its border policy with Northern Ireland – an agreement that has allowed for peaceful exchange of goods and travel. The UK conceded to Ireland’s terms, confirming the independent country’s influence on its much larger neighbor.

As Ireland’s former Ambassador to London, Daniel Mulhall has had extensive experience with Ireland’s impact within the EU. He is currently Irelands 18th Ambassador to the United States, a post that began in 1924. As he resides in the United States, Mulhall, an advocate of public diplomacy, often contributes to local newspapers on Ireland’s relationship with the United States and even tweets Irish poetry.